New Year is big deal
for me - it's a chance to "turn a new leaf" and every other silly cliché you've heard 100 times already
this week. I LOVE the part of this holiday that forces us to take time to
reflect on the last year's blessings. My heart is so full when I look at all
that 2012 brought me and my family. Our lives are filled with such incredible
people and opportunities, and I feel so fortunate for that.

But every sap streak has its end, and mine came at 12:01 on New
Year's day. My social media feeds flooded with resolutions, and my thoughts
filled with dread. See, I know that come 6 weeks from now I'll be licking chocolate
off my fingers, watching that scale climb (even if I have a convenient excuse),
and warming my seat on the couch as that gym-class-I-swore-I'd-go-to comes and goes.

I guess there's nothing wrong with that annual kick in the rear
"motivating" us all to eat better, live healthier, spend wiser, and
love deeper. (Ok... so when I put it like that it's not even remotely
threatening...) So at the risk of impending guilt, I've put
together a list of my 2013 goals anyway.

Personal

Get fit. I care less about the scale than I do about the
huffing and puffing that follows my daily chase-around-the-toddler
routine. Naturally, this means more time at the gym and less time
indulging my lengthy list of guilt-inspiring food cravings. (This one’s
off to a good start - seeing as I drafted this post from my tablet during
my cardio warm-up. BOO-YA.)

Spend more time
with family. My
business EXPLODED in 2012, and I didn't have clear boundaries about work
time and home time. (I'm sure there are fellow work-from-homers out there
nodding vigorously in agreement) So in 2013 I want to be more
present, and honor the time I have devoted to my family. (Ok, so Kaelyn's
currently running pant-less behind me trapped in my office while I wrap up
this post. Maybe this resolution starts tomorrow..)

Get
organized. Realistically
speaking, this will be an uphill battle until my kids have their own
houses to clutter, butttt I'd love to take a stab at improving current
toy-factory-explosion conditions. Pinterest makes it look so easy!

Take a vacay. There are much more pressing financial decisions in
our future (a van?!?!?) - but a small family vacation would be a great
reward for a fiscally conservative year in our household. I hope we can
swing it - but if we don't make it somewhere tropical, I'd still consider
it a success if we saved like we were going to.

I want to savor every one of these moments while I have the chance!

Professional

If you'd asked in November, I'd
have said a website and blog was a Summer project. So... I'm going to cheat
and pat myself on the back as though this was a 2013 accomplishment. GO
ME! (Shhhh, let me have this one)

Build a brand(and
be secure enough to turn down jobs that don't fit it). It's so hard in the beginning phases of a photography
business to turn down work. But the fact is there are jobs I love and pour
my soul into, and those are the ones I need to devote myself to.
Maternity, Newborns, Children, and Family portraiture will get all my love
this year.

Get support. There's no one "right" way to run a
photography business - and there's no handy HR department to phone up when
I need advice. I am so fortunate to have met with some great local
photographers who have so willingly mentored me in the past months. In
2013 I have plans to build this network, and lean more on their support
and guidance (and spend less time suffering silently or venting to my
ever-patient-but-often-perplexed husband). I also intend to pay it forward
with my own network of up-and-coming photogs. (If that's you, please don't
hesitate to reach out!)

Work
smarter. I made a lot of rookie mistakes
getting this business off the ground in 2012. (Working for less than
minimum wage was bad enough. Not being organized enough to KNOW this for
months? Simply shameful.) My goal in 2013 is to value my work accurately, and manage my finances (even if I'd rather have teeth pulled).

Work less. Hold
the phone - did she really just say that?? You read correctly! A new baby in the mix means I'll
be throttling back my workload significantly in the coming months. It is
very important to me that I maintain quality work and professionalism, and
I'll have to commit to less of it in order to do so. Here's what it means for
you:

I’ll
be on “leave” the weeks surrounding Everett’s April-ish arrival. This is primo Spring portrait time –
so if your heart is set on a March or May session – book them now!

I’ll
be taking on considerably less sessions over the Summer. I’m honest with
myself about the demands of a newborn, and the time it takes to adapt to
that kind of life change.

That’s a wrap on my list this year! Now that it’s public maybe I’ll
muster up the will power to keep my hands out of the bags of Valentine’s
chocolates I just HADTOBUY last week. …Or
maybe “eating better” will go into effect tomorrow, too…

Starting the year off organized with a brand new work space! (even if Daniel's gotten the most use out of it so far..)

becca duval photography

I'm a lifestyle photographer based in RVA, specializing in Couple, Maternity, Children, & Family photography. I'm paying for my hobby and hoping to make friends along the way. Contact me for availability!